Landowner
Donates $1 Million North Castle Property to New York City DEP

Commissioner Christopher O. Ward of the New York City Department
of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced today that as part
of its continuing watershed protection program the DEP has accepted
a donation of a four-acre parcel of vacant commercial property
in the Town of North Castle in Westchester County. The land fronts
on Kaysal Court off Old Route 22, near a 15.7-acre parcel that
the City acquired in 2000. The land gift took place in late August
and will help to protect the drainage area of the Kensico Reservoir,
which is a critical component of the City’s Catskill and
Delaware water supply systems.

New York City has secured over 59,000 acres in its watershed
through purchases and conservation easements since 1997. This includes
927 acres in Dutchess and 7,193 acres in Putnam County to protect
the West Branch and Boyd’s Corners Reservoirs, and an additional
1,525 acres in Westchester County to protect the Kensico and Croton
Reservoirs. Some of these properties have been opened for public
access, although land under conservation easement is not open to
the public.

“We extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Pepe for this important
donation of land, which will protect a sensitive wetland and reservoir
from the effects of development. The DEP will protect this property
in perpetuity, which will benefit water consumers both locally
and in New York City, as well as residents who want to see more
of their town stay green” said Commissioner Ward.

The donor, Nicholas Pepe, said, “This donation works well
for both parties; it’s my way of giving back to the broader
community. I know the City is interested in protecting the welfare
of millions who drink water from our area. It was a natural fit
and I am proud to have been in a position to donate this property;
I hope other landowners will consider how they might help others,
as well as themselves, by donating – or even selling their
vacant land at fair market value – to the City.”

The 59,000 acres of land and easements acquired or under contract
throughout the watershed (in Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, and
five counties west of the Hudson River) involve over 740 parcels,
including over 8,000 acres of farm easements that are being acquired
by the Watershed Agricultural Council. The City’s acquisitions
in the Kensico basin include roughly 180 acres of land in both
fee simple and conservation easements. Acquisitions by the City
in the Croton system (primarily in Yorktown, in the New Croton
Reservoir Basin), along with several purchases by New York State
for protection of the City’s watershed, total about 1,300
acres.

The Land Acquisition Program acquires land or conservation easements
at fair market value from willing sellers only, and pays property
taxes in proportion to the property rights acquired. For conservation
easements, landowners are therefore paid upfront for development
rights and are relieved of significant property tax burdens in
perpetuity. Landowners can generally continue to harvest timber
and, in the Catskill Mountains, bluestone from the land under good
management plans approved by the DEP. Under this arrangement, the
DEP is effectively paying good land stewards to continue to care
for their land, protect their views from development and enjoy
passive recreational opportunities. For more information, landowners
can contact the DEP’s Land Acquisition Program at (800) 575-LAND.

The City has opened over 43,000 acres of its watershed land to
public recreation, including over 27,000 acres of the land acquired
under the Land Acquisition Program. The DEP has issued over 67,000
public access permits and over 6,300 hunting tags to people wanting
to use City watershed property for recreation. There were also
almost 10,000 boat tags issued in 2003 for people to use boats
on City reservoirs.